What Makes Gautam Singhania The Complete Man!

A death-defying racer with a passion for life. A tycoon undaunted by car crashes or familial discord. Disciplined and indulgent in equal measure, Gautam Singhania is a man on a mission. Whether it is helming The Raymond Group, or setting the foundation for the future of motorsport in India, this is the gent in the driver’s seatA death-defying racer with a passion for life. A tycoon undaunted by car crashes or familial discord. Disciplined and indulgent in equal measure, Gautam Singhania is a man on a mission. Whether it is helming The Raymond Group, or setting the foundation for the future of motorsport in India, this is the gent in the driver’s seat

- Sonali Velinker Kamat

Looking up at the façade of JK House in Breach Candy from the entrance, you can hardly see the top storey. If the sheer stature of the structure isn’t imposing enough, a 45-foot marble canopy abuts the building and, in it, Lala Kailashpat Singhania is seated on a throne that once housed a statue of Queen Victoria. Since its inception in 1925, The Raymond Group has dethroned many others, while steadily establishing its dominance over India’s industrial landscape.

In Mumbai, even under an overcast sky, the Singhania lineage and legacy is safely set in stone — within this elaborate gothic shelter, and metaphorically, of course.

Despite the rain, which is threatening to play spoilsport, we trudge into Raymond’s relatively new Atelier at JK House, for a sit-down with group head honcho Gautam Singhania. Here the marble is brand new, intricate carving makes way for clean lines, and contemporary design is used to inspire — right down to a giant, room-defining video wall. The Atelier is an ode to luxury; a space within which the well-heeled can create customised shoes, ceremonial wear and even jeans. The bespoke suit may be the cornerstone of this business, but when you can customise even a T-shirt to exacting specifications, the temptation to truly indulge yourself is overwhelming.